The Treatise on Tolerance by Voltaire

The Treatise on Tolerance is a work by French philosopher Voltaire, published in 17631. In this work, Voltaire calls for religious toleration and targets religious fanaticism, especially that of the Jesuits.

 

The treatise was written in response to the trial of Jean Calas, a French Protestant merchant accused of murdering his son Marc-Antoine to prevent his supposed conversion to the Catholic Church. Despite a lack of evidence, Calas was executed largely due to the reaction of an angry mob and the zealousness of some local magistrates.

 

Voltaire was struck by the extreme injustice of the case and undertook a campaign to exonerate Jean Calas, putting Catholic prejudice and fanaticism on display. In 1765, after Louis XV of France fired the chief magistrate and the case was retried by another court, Calas was posthumously exonerated.

 

Voltaire’s argument in the treatise is illustrated in several passages where he questions the logic of condemning those who are not members of the Church of Rome and highlights the absurdity of eternal punishment for virtuous individuals who are not Christian.

 

The book was finished by January 2, 1763, and it was printed by the Cramer brothers in Geneva in April 17631. Despite being quickly banned, it still made its way to the public, becoming extremely popular in Paris and throughout Europe.

 

More on Voltaire and religions

 

Voltaire was a French Enlightenment writer, philosopher, and historian known for his criticism of Christianity, especially the Roman Catholic Church, and his advocacy for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state.

 

Voltaire’s critical views on religion led to his belief in the separation of church and state and religious freedom. He was not a fan of the Bible and was vigorously against the Catholic Church. He believed that the Church was gaining from being involved in politics by pocketing a religious tax, which is why Voltaire thought they had no place in politics.

 

In his work Candide, Voltaire depicts all religions as ‘evil superstitions’, which can be dangerous to society and people. For instance, Voltaire argues that people live in the “best of all possible worlds” by criticizing Leibniz’s ideas.